Question 1

Which of the following best describes a gene?

Accepted Answer

A sequence of DNA that encodes a functional enzyme

Question 2

Which process is responsible for separating DNA fragments by size using an electrical field?

Accepted Answer

Gel electrophoresis

Question 3

What is the central dogma of molecular biology?

Accepted Answer

$DNA \rightarrow RNA \rightarrow Protein$

Question 4

Which organelle contains its own circular chromosome and is inherited through the cytoplasm?

Accepted Answer

Mitochondria

Question 5

Which experimental technique was first used by Linus Pauling to study sickle cell anemia?

Accepted Answer

Gel electrophoresis

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT one of the three domains of life derived from LUCA?

Accepted Answer

Protista

Question 7

What is the main difference between Southern, Northern, and Western blotting?

Accepted Answer

Southern blotting transfers DNA, Northern transfers mRNA, Western transfers protein

Question 8

Which stain is commonly used to visualize nucleic acids in electrophoresis gels?

Accepted Answer

Ethidium bromide (EtBr)

Question 9

Which of the following statements about the Human Genome Project is correct?

Accepted Answer

It revealed that only 1.5% of the genome contains exons

Question 10

Which process is responsible for the movement of alleles between populations?

Accepted Answer

Gene flow

Question 11

According to Darwin’s principles, what is the main driver of evolutionary change in populations?

Accepted Answer

Variation in traits and differential survival and reproduction

Question 12

Which approach is most commonly used to construct phylogenetic trees based on evolutionary relationships?

Accepted Answer

Cladistic approach

Question 13

Which of the following is a shared derived characteristic used to identify clades?

Accepted Answer

Presence of a backbone

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT a phase of modern genetics?

Accepted Answer

Discovery of the ribosome

Question 15

Which of the following best explains why mitochondria and chloroplasts have their own DNA?

Accepted Answer

They originated from endosymbiotic events and retain circular chromosomes

Question 16

Which of the following processes can lead to changes in allele frequencies in a population over time?

Accepted Answer

Genetic mutation, gene flow, genetic drift, and natural selection

Question 17

Which 'omic' approach focuses on the study of all proteins encoded in a genome?

Accepted Answer

Proteomics

Question 18

Which experimental evidence was used by Woese and colleagues to establish the three-domain model?

Accepted Answer

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequence similarity

Question 19

Which of the following statements about gel electrophoresis is correct?

Accepted Answer

Negatively charged samples move toward the positive end of the gel

Question 20

Which of the following is a direct result of artificial selection in domesticated species?

Accepted Answer

Selection of traits beneficial to humans, such as larger fruit or docile behavior

The Molecular Basis of Heredity, Variation, and Evolution: Study Notes

Study Guide - Practice Questions